Admittedly the grass is getting a regular regiment of fertilizer...the OP was early and the grass hand not been tended too. So any high Nitro fertilizer for the hops will do?

I use low N organic granular fertilizer (5-3-1) with micros and other stuff like humic acids. I got it at an irrigation store. I also added a little flowering fertilizer (15-30-15 iirc) for some added potassium on the last application. I recently noticed a flush of growth and dark greening a few days after fertilizing, followed by a paling a few days later. So now I'm just going to fertilize weekly. These plants seem to be pretty temperamental to a lot of things including fertility and I'd hate for them to drop their guard when it starts to get really hot.

I use low N organic granular fertilizer (5-3-1) with micros and other stuff like humic acids. I got it at an irrigation store. I also added a little flowering fertilizer (15-30-15 iirc) for some added potassium on the last application. I recently noticed a flush of growth and dark greening a few days after fertilizing, followed by a paling a few days later. So now I'm just going to fertilize weekly. These plants seem to be pretty temperamental to a lot of things including fertility and I'd hate for them to drop their guard when it starts to get really hot.

How are you applying this? Are you diluting in water and spraying or just tossing the granular fertilizer on the soil?

This have taken a turn for the worse. Growth has slowed dramatically and now Japanese Beetles have moved in. Leaves are pale and distressed looking. I am noticing shoots off the main bones however.

I am growing first year hops, too. I am dreading the Japanese beetle invasion. So far, so good here in mid-Michigan. I've only seen one or two stray beetles. I am experiencing pale-ish leaves, too, but they're still climbing the trellis (biggest is about 8' tall) and have not send out and side-arms yet.